June 20, 2025 – Orlando, FL — The Florida National Organization for Women (FL NOW) strongly condemns the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. This ruling represents a devastating blow to the rights, dignity, and futures of trans youth—not only in Tennessee, but across the nation.

“This decision is not about protecting children—it’s about erasing them,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “It ignores medical consensus, parental rights, and the lived realities of young people who deserve care, not condemnation.”

The Court’s 6–3 ruling in LW v. Skrmetti allows Tennessee to prohibit puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors, even though the same medications remain legal for non-transgender youth with other conditions. This double standard is not only discriminatory—it is deadly.

FL NOW emphasizes that this ruling disregards the existence of intersex children, who are born with variations in sex characteristics and often undergo irreversible medical interventions without consent. “If we acknowledge that children can be born with diverse biological traits, how can we deny that gender exists on a spectrum—and that care must be tailored to the individual?” asked Debbie Deland, Vice President FL NOW.

Major medical organizations—including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association—support gender-affirming care as evidence-based and lifesaving. Yet the Court’s decision prioritizes political ideology over medical expertise, and fear over facts.

“This ruling is a green light for cruelty,” said Julie Kent, President of FL NOW. “It opens the door for further attacks on bodily autonomy, parental rights, and the right of every child to grow up whole.”

FL NOW calls on:

• Florida lawmakers to reject similar bans and protect access to gender-affirming care.
• Medical professionals to speak out against political interference in healthcare.
• Allies and advocates to mobilize in defense of trans youth and intersex children.

“We will not stand by while our children are legislated out of existence,” said Julie Kent. “This is not just a legal issue—it’s a moral one. And we will fight for every child’s right to be seen, supported, and safe.”

Contact: Debbie Deland, Vice President FL NOW, 407 234-6408, vp@flnow.org